Taylor Hall has been busy piling up the points in recent games, but said he'll just be happy when the speculation of whether or not he'll be named to the Olympic team ends. (Codie McLachlan, Edmonton Sun)

When Taylor Hall is watching the Sochi Olympics, he’ll be dreaming about making a major impact on Team Canada next time - knowing full well, of course, that there might not be a next time.

With no guarantee the NHLers will be back for the 2018 Olympics in the hockey hotbed of South Korea, there’s a sinking feeling in the hearts of all of Edmonton’s young stars that they might have missed their last chance.

While Oilers Ales Hemsky, Anton Belov and Martin Marincin are going this time, Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov can only hope they get a chance to be part of the world’s biggest hockey tournament in four years.

“The Olympics are such a great stage and to be able to represent your country on that stage with all the other Olympians is such a special thing,” said Hall, after getting official word that he’s been left off the 2014 team.

“Knowing that this might be the last time certainly stings a bit. Knowing that this might be the last time there’s going to be (NHL) players at the Olympics is certainly a tough pill to swallow.”

Hall, knew he was a long-shot to make the team, woke up to a voice message from Hockey Canada’s Director of Communications informing him he hadn’t.

“I had a voice mail from Brad Pascal saying I’ve had a good season so far but they didn’t select me for the team. Obviously not a great phone call, but one that I was kind of expecting.”

That Hall didn’t get a sniff even though he’s 12th in scoring among Canadian players in the NHL, third in scoring among left wingers and skates as well as anyone in the league leaves room enough for debate - but it’s not one he’s going to be a part of.

“It’s a tough process for them, there are so many great players in Canada. I knew that this was a really steep hill to climb.

“I think I’ve played well, but I knew I had to be lights out to make that team. It sucks not making it, especially when you feel you might have had a little bit of a chance, but when you look at the players who aren’t on the team you’re in pretty good company.”

The concern about Hall was his complete game, another issue he’s not interested in debating.

“Whether I think I’ve improved (defensively) or not doesn’t really matter now. I think I put my best foot forward. I think I’ve improved in a lot of facets of the game and I like where I am, whether I’m on the team or not.”

While you have to figure a number of Edmonton’s core players should be locks for 2018, there is pretty serious doubt that the pros won’t be going. Talk about bad timing.

“That is scary,” said World Junior hero Jordan Eberle. “You dream of playing in that tournament and to have that opportunity taken away just because of... I don’t even know, the business side of things, that sucks. Plain and simple, it sucks.

“Playing for Team Canada is something that you dream of doing. Along with winning a Stanley Cup you dream of winning an Olympic gold medal. You watch today and it gets you excited for the next one.

“But that’s a long road ahead. We have a lot of years here to worry about this team rather than that team.”

For Yakupov, missing the cut when the Games are in Russia is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that’s passed him by. He found out from watching the TV.

“No call. I just saw the players. I wasn’t there. It’s OK. Life is not over. Hockey career is not over.”

“It’s hard, but only the best players go to the Olympics. It’s a coach’s decision. You can’t say anything. You just have to respect it and cheer for the Russian team.”